The US may have spent £124billion sending its shuttles into space but the smallest and cheapest space programme in the world was born when a teenager sent a £30 Lego model 35km (22miles) to the edge of space.

Block to the future: The Lego model almost reaches space

Raul Oaida rigged the tiny ship and a parachute to a large helium balloon together with a GPS system and a video to record the flight.

The 18-year-old took just three days to construct it, gluing the blocksÂ together to withstand the 200kph (320mph) winds in the Earthâs stratosphere.

But it landed after the epic journey in a field 250km (155 miles) away without a scratch. Australian businessman Steve Sammartino financed the £1,600 project after convincing the teenager to scale down his original plans.

The helium balloon is inflated before the craft lifts off

âThis was one of the things I could afford to do â the only space program I could afford,â said Mr Oaida, from Deva, Romania. âIt took a bit less than a month to build â and most of that was waiting to get things delivered from the post office,â he said.

The pair travelled to Germany, the only place they were able to get permission for take-off on December 31.

âI still find it hard to believe that it was actually up there,â said budding rocket engineer Mr Oaida.